Love in the Wind
by klasiccat
Summary: Ranger leaves for his 'final' mission. Will he come home to Stephanie? Babe story, Joe friendly. Tissue warning! Contains major angst, some smut and language.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N**: I know this storyline has been done in the past. However, it kept screaming at me to be written and refused to give me any peace until I did. So here it is, I hope everyone enjoys it. Many thanks to Sharon, who not only urged me to write it anyway, but beta'd for me. You're the best, Babe!

**Warnings:** This story contains smut (it wouldn't be me if it didn't) and butt-load of angst. Oh yeah, JE owns them, blah, blah, blah.

**LOVE IN THE WIND**

**CHAPTER 1**

Stephanie woke up to the feeling of someone watching her. In the still of the night, she rolled over and saw that someone was sitting in the chair in her bedroom. She should have been terrified with the possibility that it was another stalker, but instead, she breathed a sigh of relief. The man watching her in the dark was no stalker.

It was Ranger.

She rose up on her elbows and focused on his silhouetted form. She had a sinking feeling that this wasn't just a social call. One, it was the middle of the night and two, Ranger had been moody for the last week. At first, he would hardly speak to her and kept her at a distance. Then that prior morning, Ranger had pulled her into the alley behind the bond's office and held her so tightly she thought her bones would break. He never said a word, he just held her. When he finally pulled away, he bent his head down and placed the sweetest, most tender kiss on her lips.

Then he turned and walked away.

Now with him here, she was determined to find out what was bothering him.

"Ranger?" Steph asked. "What's wrong? What's bothering you?"

Her concern for him broke his heart. He should have never come here. He should have just taken care of business and let her be. No good was going to come of this.

"Go back to sleep, Babe. I'm sorry I woke you up." Ranger got up from the chair and began to leave the room, but Steph grabbed his wrist before he could make it out the door.

"You're not leaving until you tell me what's got you so upset," Steph said. "Talk to me, Ranger. Maybe I can help."

There was no helping him with this problem. It was something Ranger had to handle himself. He couldn't even pull Tank in on this one, not that he would anyway.

"There's nothing you can do, Babe. So don't worry about it. I'll be fine," he lied. That tore his heart apart. Ranger made it a point to never out right lie to Stephanie. He would withhold information or not divulge any at all, but he had never deliberately lied to her until just then.

He tried to pull away from Stephanie but she held fast, refusing to release his wrist.

"You're leaving, aren't you?" she asked. Ranger didn't answer her. He just continued to stare into the darkness. His silence told her everything. Normally when Ranger would leave, he'd give her some kind of an idea as to when he would be back and told her to see Tank if she needed anything. The fact that he was saying nothing at all told her more than she wanted to know. More than she wanted to hear.

Her grip on Ranger's wrist tightened even more as she pulled him down to sit on the edge of her bed. He kept his head down, avoiding the look in her eyes. He didn't want to see the same pain and sadness he felt in her beautiful blue eyes.

Stephanie cupped his cheek and raised his head so that she could see his face. "When do you leave?" she asked.

"Tomorrow afternoon," he replied softly. Just telling her that much ripped his guts to shreds.

"Then stay with me," she whispered.

Ranger froze. He stopped breathing and was pretty sure his heart had missed a few beats. What he wouldn't give to get lost in her passion just one more time. He hadn't been intimate with her since the night of that stupid-assed deal. He'd kicked himself for months over the poor way in which he had handled that, wishing he would have had taken the opportunity to make things right by her.

But he never did. Even after Steph and the cop had broken up this last time and it appeared to be a permanent break, Ranger did nothing. Even his own men tried to get Ranger to make a move on Steph, but he wouldn't budge. When Ranger almost put Lester in the hospital for announcing that he was going to make a move on Steph if Ranger didn't, Ranger still did nothing to claim her as his.

And now she never would be. The phone call he'd received the prior week saw to that. Sure, the General tried to gloss things over by telling Ranger that it would be his last mission, that upon completion he would be a free man. But as Ranger read over the orders which had arrived the following day, he saw the one statement that changed everything; probable chance of survival – minimal to none. He was going to spend his freedom inside a pine box, considering there would be enough of him left to ship home.

Ranger choked back his emotions at Stephanie's offer. It was an offer he should have made to her months ago. But then, would it have made his leaving that much more difficult now? Probably, but he would have at least known true love once in his life, however brief.

Now he would never know and he doubted that one night with Steph would ever be enough.

Steph could see the battle Ranger fought with himself. All his shields were down and she could see the emotions flying across his face. His anguish over her offer to stay the night with her was so tangible she could almost taste it.

Maybe it was because she was feeling the same way. The thought of losing Ranger almost sent Steph into a panic, but she knew that would make him leave and that was the last thing she wanted.

What she did want was one last night with Ranger. She wanted to feel his gentle touch and taste his warm kisses. She wanted the love they felt for one another but were too damned scared to admit existed. And she wanted their passion to burn through her, for she knew it would have to sustain her for the rest of her life. She knew that when Ranger finally left, Steph would never again have half the love and feelings for anyone else as she had for Ranger.

Her mother was always complaining about her last chance at love, well this was it and she wasn't about to let it walk out her front door without a fight. So Steph slid her hand from Ranger's cheek to the back of his neck and pulled him in close. She placed a light kiss on his lips, lingering for a moment to judge his reaction.

Ranger's reaction was clear and quick. He grabbed her with powerful arms and pressed her against his hard body. Then he devoured her lips as he kissed her blind. All self control and sense of duty disintegrated. The only thing that mattered to Ranger now was the woman in his arms.

He had to have her this one last time. He had to know what pure bliss felt like. He wouldn't be able to leave without knowing the feel of her body under his as he worshiped her, loved her. He wouldn't be able to walk away from her without her knowing just exactly what she'd meant to him all these years.

Her body was warm from sleep and it melted the chill he'd been feeling around his soul. But feeling her body heat through thin cotton material wasn't enough. He needed more of her.

He needed all of her.

In one fluid motion, Ranger grasped the hem of her Snoopy night shirt and pulled it up and over her head. He tossed her shirt to the floor which was quickly followed by his own. Finally, he had her bare skin against his. Her breasts were full and her nipples were hard and they rubbed against his own naked chest, tearing a moan from his throat as he kissed her again.

Steph held on to Ranger as his mouth made love to hers. She felt the muscles of his back ripple and shudder as she dragged her nails down his spine. His scent and taste filled her head and she purred her pleasure as his tongue battled with hers.

Ranger broke the kiss and stood up. When Stephanie reached for him to keep him from leaving he took her hands in his and kissed her knuckles.

"Shhh, querida. I'm not going anywhere," he whispered. Ranger released her hands then removed his weapons, pants and shoes. He stood before her in the moonlight completely naked. The shadows moved across his body in an erotic dance.

Stephanie tossed back her covers so she could get out of her bed. She stood in front of Ranger in nothing but her sweat pants taking in the sight before her. Ranger stood proud and strong his erection full and ready to take her. He was all hard-bodied male and for this one night, he belonged to her.

She laid one pale hand on his dark chest and could feel his heart beating under her palm. She closed her eyes and lost herself in the rhythm of his thundering heart as it pounded in time with hers.

Her eyes still closed, she felt his body move moments before his mouth claimed her breast. His hot, wet mouth scorched her skin as he rolled her nipple with his tongue and grazed it with his teeth. She held Ranger's head as he suckled her, reveling in the feel of their passionate embrace. He released her breast only to move to the other to give it the same loving attention.

When he was satisfied, Ranger released her breast and sank to his knees. He slid his fingers beneath the waistband of her sweats and slowly pulled them down her legs. When he reached her feet, he gently took one ankle and lifted her foot from pant leg then did the same with the other foot.

He continued to kneel before her, inhaling her feminine scent. Ranger nuzzled his nose and cheek in the soft curls between her thighs and felt his erection swell even further. Wanting to taste her sweetness, Ranger tilted his head and ran his tongue across her outer lips.

She was pure heaven.

He raked his tongue back and forth stopping only to swirl it around her swollen nub. He rubbed as much of his face as he could across her wet heat hoping that her essence would soak into his skin and stay with him for a long as he lived.

How ever long that would be.

Ranger could tell Stephanie was about to come so he tightened his hold around her waist with one hand and inserted two fingers into her core with the other.

Stephanie blew apart immediately. She threw her head back and screamed her release as her orgasm tore through her. Her knees buckled and if it hadn't been for Ranger holding onto her, she would have fallen to the floor.

Ranger held Stephanie as her body trembled in his arms. When her climax had finally subsided, Ranger rose to his feet, picked Steph up and gently laid her back in bed. He gently placed his body over hers and settled himself between her welcoming thighs. Stephanie continued to pant as Ranger nuzzled her neck and rocked his engorged shaft across her drenched center.

When Ranger began kissing her again, Steph could taste herself on his lips and tongue. Instinctively, she thrust her hips up which caused Ranger's swollen crown to breach the entrance of her core.

Both of them stopped and stared at each other, barely breathing. Then without warning, Ranger drove himself completely into Stephanie. She cried out at the fullness of him as he sank his cock all the way to her womb. Ranger cursed himself and his stupidity. This was where he had wanted to be since that first night. This was where he had belonged. But his selfish pride had kept him at a distance and this one night would be all he had left. This one night was going to have to last him for the rest of his short life and he had no one to blame but himself.

Stephanie wrapped her legs around Ranger's hips as he continued to thrust deep inside her. She scored his back with her nails and he drove into her harder. But it was when he felt her inner walls clamp down on him that finally pushed him over the edge.

They came together, each giving and receiving all the other had to give. When their bodies calmed they still continued to cling to one another. Neither willing to let go, both terrified of losing the other.

"I love you," Ranger said, breaking the silence. "I always have."

"I know, you've said…" Steph started, but Ranger cut her off.

"No. I am in love with you. Plain and simple with no bullshit conditions. I am in love with you, Stephanie Plum, and I've wanted this for a very long time."

"Then why didn't you ever say anything?" she asked.

"Fear," he replied. "Fear that I would lose you, fear that I couldn't give you the life you wanted or deserve. Fear that I wasn't good enough for you and that I would disappoint you."

Stephanie was stunned. After all her bumbling antics and half-baked adventures, he was the one in fear of disappointing her. She wrapped her arms tightly around Ranger, her heart breaking for the man whom she had thought wasn't afraid of anything.

"You could never disappoint me. You amaze me. You always know just what to do or what to say. You always know when I'm in trouble and you've always been able to make things right. You are the one person I know I can always count on, the one person I trust above all others. And I love you with everything that I am." Stephanie had tears streaming down her face as she poured her heart out to Ranger.

Seeing her cry tore at his heart. All he wanted to do was hold her and make all her pain go away. How ironic though, that he was the cause of most of her pain and sadness.

"We have tonight, Babe, and I don't want to spend it being sad or hashing over 'what if's.' I want to spend it making love to you. I have very little time left and I don't want to waste a second of it." Ranger bent down and kissed Stephanie then wiped away her tears.

He felt like crying with her but knew that would only upset Stephanie more. So he choked back the tears that threatened to fall and kept his promise.

He made love to her all night long.

They took turns exploring each other's bodies, committing to memory every curve, every muscle, every taste. With every orgasm that ripped through their bodies, their hearts broke a little more at the thought that this would be the last time either of them would be truly happy, truly loved.

It was finally time for Ranger to leave. Steph had eventually fallen asleep and was curled up against Ranger's chest. The sound of her even breathing mesmerized him. Often, there had been times when Ranger had sneaked into Steph's apartment and just listened to her breathing. It relaxed him like nothing else could. Most of the time, she had never been aware that he had been there.

He always left before she woke up. But when he left, he knew that he would be able to face the coming day. It was a gift she always gave him but never realized it. This would be the last time he'd ever receive that gift.

Placing a feather light kiss on her forehead, Ranger quietly slid from her bed and got dressed, foregoing a shower since he wanted her scent on his skin as long as possible.

He stood in her doorway and watched her sleep one last time. For an agonizing moment, Ranger considering chucking the whole mission and running off with Stephanie. He knew the world well enough to know where the best hiding places were. But that wasn't the kind of life he wanted to put her through, the kind of life she deserved. Stephanie deserved fun and freedom and he wouldn't be able to give that to her if they were always looking over their shoulders.

No, Stephanie deserved so much more than a life on the run.

So he whispered one more 'I love you, Babe' and walked out of her apartment. He left behind his love, he left behind his freedom, he left behind his life as man to become the property of the U.S. Government.

Property, which apparently, was expendable.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N**: I know this storyline has been done in the past. However, it kept screaming at me to be written and refused to give me any peace until I did. So here it is, I hope everyone enjoys it. Many thanks to Sharon, who not only urged me to write it anyway, but beta'd for me. You're the best, Babe!

**Warnings:** This story contains smut (it wouldn't be me if it didn't) and butt-load of angst. Oh yeah, JE owns them, blah, blah, blah.

**LOVE IN THE WIND**

**Chapter 2**

It had been four weeks since Ranger left. Steph was operating on auto pilot most of the time, just going through the motions of her life. Her family was becoming concerned, but when asked what was wrong, Steph just said everything was fine and refused to talk about it. Even her work was beginning to suffer. If it hadn't been for Lula, Steph wouldn't have brought in a single skip in four weeks.

Lula told Steph that the guys at Rangeman weren't doing much better; at least, not the core team. She said Tank had been moody and a bit distant since Ranger had been gone. He tried to blame it on the extra work now that he was running Rangeman in Ranger's absence, but Lula knew better. Tank was missing his best friend and was afraid that he'd never see him again.

Steph needed to see the guys. She needed to talk to them. She'd just finished with an appointment and found herself driving to Haywood. Figuring now was as good a time as ever, she pulled up to the front gate only to find it already in the process of being raised. Steph smiled to herself as she realized that she still had a GPS on her car, something Ranger must have installed a while ago. Before, it might have pissed her off knowing that Rangeman knew her every move, but now she welcomed the protection more than ever.

Stephanie pulled her car into an open space just in front of the elevators. Of all places to have good parking karma, she sadly chuckled. Killing the engine, Steph sat in the driver's seat for awhile, afraid to get out. What was she going to tell the guys? How would she say it? Would they appreciate her being here at all? Steph was running through all the worst case scenarios in her head when her cell phone started ringing Rockwell's "Somebody's Watching Me." It was the control room upstairs.

"Hello?" Steph answered.

"Hey Beautiful," replied Lester. "When you're done deciding whether to stay or leave, come up to Tank's office. We'd love to see you."

"Okay, I'll be there in a minute," Steph said softly. She closed her phone, got out of the car and headed up to the fifth floor.

When she reached the control room, she was greeted by Hal and Junior. Hal got up from the monitors and gave Steph a hug.

"We've missed you, Bomber. Are you okay?" Hal asked. He could see the sadness on Steph's face. It was the same look most of the men had for weeks.

"I'm alright, I guess. I need to talk to Tank. Lester said he's in his office," she stated.

"Yep, he's expecting you," he said. Then, holding her by the shoulders, he said something that touched her heart. "If there's anything you need, you know to come to us right? We're all here to help you if you need it." Hal offered her a small smile. He really did like Stephanie, even if she had zapped him with his own taser. The guys still razzed him about it from time to time, but he didn't hold it against her.

"Thank you. I just might take you up on your offer," she said quietly. "I should go if Tank's waiting. I don't want to make him upset."

"I doubt you ever could, Bomber. He'll be happy to see you." Hal placed a gentle kiss on her forehead then walked her to the hallway before returning to his seat in front of the monitors.

When Steph got to Tank's office, the door was already open and she could see Tank at his desk and Lester on the couch.

"Come in, Bombshell," Tank invited.

Lester got up from the couch and gave her a big hug. Steph wanted to let go but found herself holding on for dear life. Lester shot Tank a concerned look when he realized she was crying. He pulled her down on the couch and just held her while she sobbed.

There was no way Steph could stop her tears even if she had wanted to. The emotions were just too strong. Normally, she hated crying in front of the guys, but she was hoping that this time they would understand and not hold it against her.

Not that they ever had before.

After what seemed like forever, Steph's tears finally began to subside. She could feel Lester gently rocking her and stroking her hair as she tried to get her breathing under control through shaky gasps. When she felt a hand on her leg, she knew it was Tank.

"Shhh, Bomber. It's okay," Tank soothed. "Just take some deep breaths." Tank rubbed her leg in an attempt to calm Steph down. He knew that she would miss Ranger but didn't expect quite that strong of a reaction from her. Tank figured Steph loved Ranger more than he had realized.

Steph turned and looked at Tank. He was heartbroken at how lost she looked. To make matters worse, he didn't know what to say to make her feel better. Sure, he hadn't heard anything yet regarding Ranger, but when he did he wasn't expecting anything good. Tank had seen Ranger's orders and knew, just as Ranger did, what the probable outcome would be. And judging by Stephanie's condition, so did she.

But he had to tell her something. He had to hold on to hope. Tank wasn't ready to lose the best friend he'd ever had. He looked up at Lester as if to find some kind of guidance, but he wasn't in any better shape than the rest of them. After all, Ranger was Lester's family. As cousins in a tight-knit family, they grew up playing and fighting together. Sure, Lester gave Ranger shit all the time and Ranger kicked the crap out of him for it, but at the end of the day, they were family and they always had each other's backs. It was the way they were raised.

"Steph, honey," Tank started. "I haven't heard anything yet. It's still too early. You know that when I hear something, I'll tell you, right?"

"I know," Steph whispered. "I'm sorry to fall apart like this. I just really needed to talk to you."

"You can come and talk to us anytime you want, Beautiful," Lester said as he placed a kiss on the top of her head.

"If there's anything you need, Steph, all you have to do is ask and it's yours," Tank said. "We're all here to help you with anything you need."

Steph stared at Tank and let out a deep sigh. If there were ever a time she needed these guys, it was now. Tank could sense that there was something else on Steph's mind. He hoped to God that she hadn't picked herself up another stalker. Then Tank reconsidered that thought. He really could use something to hit right now and hit it hard. And often.

"Is there something you need, Bombshell?" Tank asked.

Stephanie took a deep breath and let it out slowly before answering. She just hoped her request didn't blow up in her face.

"I have a very big favor to ask," she said. When Tank nodded at her she continued. "I'd like to move in here, if it's okay with you," she said slowly. "I could stay on the seventh floor since…" she choked back a sob. "…since it's empty right now. That way, I wouldn't be underfoot and you can leave the fourth floor apartments available for your employees."

"Beautiful, you've never been underfoot," Lester said. "But why do you want to move in here? Is there someone after you again?"

"No," Steph said quietly, not looking at either man.

"Then what it is, Steph? Why do you want to leave your apartment and live here?" Tank asked.

"I'm pregnant," she said softly. Steph buried her head in Lester's chest and started crying again.

Lester gave Tank an 'oh shit' look and the big guy blew out a long breath. Neither man was upset over Steph being pregnant; what hurt them was that Ranger would never know. As much as they were holding onto hope, Tank and Lester knew the reality of Ranger's mission.

It was a one way ticket trip.

Tank remembered the night before Ranger left. It was the most heart-wrenching moment the two friends had ever had. Ranger had called Tank up to his apartment.

"_This is for you," Ranger said as he handed Tank an envelope. _

"_What is this?" Tank asked. He couldn't stand to open it and see for himself. It would make it too real._

"_Documentation that gives you Rangeman and all its assets upon my death. There's an option for you to make Lester and Bobby partners but that's entirely up to you," Ranger explained._

"_Carlos, man. I'm not going…" Tank started but Ranger cut him off._

"_There's also a copy of the trust fund I have set up for Julie. You shouldn't have to worry about that, though. She can't have anything until she turns twenty-one or if something should happen to Rachel and Ron. Rachel is aware of the trust fund and doesn't have a problem with it."_

_Tank choked down his emotions. The last thing either of them needed was him falling apart._

"_Is there anything else?" Tank asked._

"_Yes," Ranger said sadly. "There's a trust fund set up for Steph as well. It's hers upon my death." Ranger paused a moment before he continued. "Tank, I need you to promise me you'll watch over her. Keep her safe and help her with anything she needs." Ranger got a far away look on his face. _

_Tank knew it was killing Ranger to have to leave her behind. Ranger had never admitted his feelings for Steph to anyone but Tank wasn't stupid. He wasn't blind, either. He knew Ranger's world revolved around Stephanie. Tank was also willing to bet that Steph's feelings were pretty damn close to Ranger's, so why they hadn't gotten together was beyond him. Now, they wouldn't have that chance._

"_And keep Morelli away from her," Ranger growled. "I'd rather see her with Lester than that damned cop." _

"_Anything she wants, it's hers. I promise. We'll keep an eye on her until you get back," Tank promised._

"_I'm not coming back and we both know it," Ranger said quietly. _

"_There's always hope, Carlos," Tank replied._

"_Not this time, Tank. You read the orders. I'm the walking dead. The only way I'm coming back is in a body bag, if I come back at all."_

"_You don't know…" Tank began._

"_Enough!" Ranger ordered. "The orders are clear. The lack of an extraction plan means there won't be anything left of me to save."_

_Tank couldn't take it anymore. He turned away, not wanting to look at his best friend. He just didn't want to accept that Ranger wouldn't be coming home._

"_We all knew signing on that missions like this were a reality. Any one of us could have gotten this assignment," Ranger explained._

"_Yes, but you're the best! You're not…" Ranger held up his hand, stopping Tank._

"_It's the reason why I got the mission. Brass wanted to make sure it was executed properly and without any loose ends," Ranger stated._

"_Since when are you considered a fucking loose end?" Tank said in disgust. How the hell could the Army just throw away one of its best soldiers? _

"_It's the way it has to be, Tank. You know that," Ranger said. Tank knew but he didn't have to like it._

"_I'm taking off now. I have some things I need to take care of before I leave tomorrow afternoon. You're in charge from here on out." Ranger picked up his duffel bag and began heading for the door. _

_As Ranger walked past his friend, Tank grabbed him by the arm and pulled Ranger into a hug. Both men knew it would be the last time they'd ever see each other. Ranger pulled away from Tank and continued to the door._

"_Are you going to see Steph?" Tank asked._

_Ranger stopped in his tracks. "I don't know," he said after a few moments. _

"_You should. You two love each other and she deserves the right to say good bye to you," Tank replied. _

"_I'll think about it," Ranger said before leaving._

Well, obviously Ranger had gone to see Steph since here she was in Tank's office pregnant with his child. Tank knew it couldn't be anyone else's child but Ranger's for a couple of reasons. For starters, she had been keeping her activities to a minimum; home, bond's office, her parents' house. She hadn't even gone shopping with Lula. Also, if it had been anyone else's baby, Steph wouldn't be asking to move into Ranger's apartment.

No, this child was Ranger's and chances were that he would never know about it. Even if Tank could get a message to him he doubted he would tell Ranger that he was going to be a father again. That kind of info in the field could mess with a guy's head, make him do stupid things he normally wouldn't do.

"Steph," started Lester, "are you sure you're pregnant?"

"Yes," she said. "I just came from the doctor's office. I'd been throwing up and feeling sick for a week. I thought it was just the flu but the doctor said I'm pregnant."

"Well," Tank said. "I made a promise to Ranger to look after you while he's gone and I intend to keep that promise. You can move in any time you want, Steph."

"Really?" Steph asked. She hadn't really known what to expect. But hearing Tank tell her that she was welcome to stay on the seventh floor was the best thing she'd heard in four weeks.

"Yes, really," Tank reassured her. "You don't even have to worry about packing anything. We'll take care of it. And your days of chasing skips are over, at least for a little while."

"But what am I going to do for money? I'll owe you rent. I have my own expenses. I just can't sit on my soon to be very fat ass and do nothing!" Stephanie started to panic. She hadn't thought her plan all the way through. What _was_ she going to do for work now that she was pregnant? Tank was right, she couldn't chase skips now that she was carrying a child. Something could happen to the baby and she wasn't about to lose the only piece of Ranger she may have left.

"Calm down, Bomber," Tank said as he rubbed her leg trying to soothe her again. "You don't have to worry about rent and you have your old job waiting for you here. You don't have anything to worry about."

"Really?" Steph could hardly formulate anything more intelligent than that.

"Yes, really. You should have never left in the first place. We liked having you here," Tank said softly. Steph let out a deep sigh and snuggled into Lester's chest. She was finally beginning to relax a little.

There was a knock on Tank's door before Bobby came in.

"I heard Bomber was here," he said. He looked at her all cuddled up in Lester's lap on the couch. "Is she okay?"

"It seems Rangeman is going to have a baby," Tank announced. Bobby shot Steph a quick look before turning back to Tank. He mouthed the word 'Ranger' and Tank nodded. "And she's going to be moving into the seventh floor apartment and taking her old job back."

"Good, because that apartment is a death trap and no place to raise a child, and Steph brightens this place up when she's around," Bobby said. He walked over and squatted in front of Steph.

"Steph, have you seen a doctor yet?" Bobby asked.

"Yes," she answered. "I went there this morning. He gave me a prescription for pre-natal vitamins and a list of things to stay away from."

"Good. You know you can come to me with any questions, right?" Bobby asked.

"I guess so. You are the company medic and supposed to look out for the employees."

"I'm also your friend and would look out for you anyway," Bobby said.

"So you'll help me through this pregnancy?" Steph asked.

"I would be honored to. All three of us are here for you always," Bobby replied.

"Yeah, this baby is going to have so many uncles, he's going to be tripping over them," Tank said, trying to make light of the situation. But Steph was having trouble seeing the good in much of anything. Sure, this baby would have a lot of uncles who would love him or her, but it wouldn't have a father. And that's what hurt the most.

Lester finally decided to chime in.

"Look, why don't I help you get some of your most important stuff now, Beautiful? We can take one of the trucks and be back in a couple of hours. Then the guys can go back later for the rest. How does that sound?"

"That sounds okay," Steph agreed. "I'm going to have to tell my family I'm moving and that I'm pregnant. God, my mother's head is going to blow off her shoulders." Stephanie sighed as she realized that she was going to embarrass her mother yet again. She was definitely _not_looking forward to that conversation. But she would have to worry about that later.

Lester took her to her apartment as promised. He stayed out of the way while she packed her clothes, personal items from the bathroom and supplies for Rex. Refusing to let Steph carry anything heavy, Lester carried her stuff downstairs to his truck. Once she had everything she wanted, Lester accompanied Steph to Dillon's apartment so that she could give her notice.

Stephanie felt saddened to leave her little apartment. Sure, it was unsafe and just about every bad and good guy had broken into it. Not to mention, a couple people had died there. But she'd had some good memories, too. Her child had been conceived there. Maybe that was more a bittersweet memory, but still she wouldn't change the outcome for anything in the world. Even so, her old apartment was no place to raise this baby. She needed some place safer. Bigger, and not quite so lonely. So she bid Dillon goodbye and told him that the guys would be moving out the rest of her stuff by the end of the week.

On the drive back to Rangeman, Lester hit Steph with a little bombshell of his own.

"You realize I'm going to have to take you to meet Ranger's parents, don't you?"

"What?" Steph asked.

"You're carrying his child. They're going to want to know that. And since I'm family, it makes the most sense for me to take you to meet them," he explained.

"Oh God, they're going to hate me," Steph sighed.

"No they're not. They've wanted to meet you for a long time. Now's your chance," Lester stated.

"How do they even know about me? Ranger doesn't talk about his private life to anyone," Steph wondered.

"Ranger may be tight-lipped about things, but I'm not. Especially the really important things. And you're really important, Steph, to more people than just Ranger." Lester didn't look at Steph; he just kept staring ahead at the road and gripped the steering wheel tighter. Ranger was family so that made Steph and her baby family. If Ranger didn't make it back, Lester was going to take it upon himself to make sure that the two of them were well taken care of.

"What do you mean?" Stephanie was stunned. She never really viewed herself as that important to anyone except when she'd done something wrong. Then, by some miracle, the whole world knew who she was and could laugh or gasp at her latest screw up.

"I mean, you're important to a lot of people; your friends, your family, Ranger's family and all of us at Rangeman," Lester stated.

"My family is only interested in me when they want to have a bitch fest or when I've done something wrong," she said quietly.

"That's your mother. I'm pretty sure your dad and grandma don't feel the same way," Lester said.

Maybe he was right. Grandma Mazur did seem happy whenever Steph did something to give her mother grief. Her dad didn't usually say anything one way or the other.

"What am I supposed to say to Ranger's parents, Lester? 'Hi, I'm Stephanie. I'm not really your son's girlfriend but I'm having his child. Oh and by the way, he might not ever come home?' Yeah, that'll go over real well." Stephanie could feel the tears starting up again. Just the thought of Ranger never coming home was enough to knock the wind out of her.

"They already know about Ranger's situation." That was because Lester had to be the one to tell them. It was the only time he hated being part of the Manoso clan. The pain in his aunt and uncle's eyes ripped his heart out. But, like Ranger, they always knew a mission like this was a possibility.

"Look, Steph. I'll be with you. It'll be okay. Just be yourself and tell them the truth. They'll respect that," Lester explained.

Steph just wished it would be that easy to explain to her own parents.

A few hours later, Steph had all her personal belongings put away in Ranger's apartment. She had given the guys a list of the other things she wanted brought up. The rest would go into storage until she figured out what she wanted to do with it.

She'd been sitting on the sofa staring at the cell phone in her hand for almost ten minutes. She needed to call her parents and get this over with. Finally, she dialed the number and hit send.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Mom," Steph said.

"Stephanie. Are you still moping around? When are you coming over for dinner?" Her mother was anything if consistent.

"Can I come over tonight?" Steph asked. That stunned her mother into silence for a moment.

"Of course. Dinner is at six and we're having pot roast so don't be late," Helen said when she finally found her voice. "Is Joseph coming with you?" Helen always sang the same old tune.

"Mom, you know Joe and I have been broken up for over two months now. I'm not seeing him anymore. Besides, he already has a girlfriend."

"He was your last chance at a stable relationship, Stephanie. Now what are you supposed to do about marriage and a family?"

If her mother only knew. Well, she would in a couple of hours.

"I'll explain everything when I get there, Mother," Steph said.

"Explain what? What are you talking about, Stephanie? Why can't you just tell me now? Why must you always do this to me?" Helen fired her questions faster than Steph could answer.

"I'll see you at six, Mother. I won't be late. Bye." Stephanie hung up the phone. She knew she was going to have a fight on her hands. She only hoped that her father and grandmother would back her up.

Steph pulled up to her parents' house at a quarter to six. That had to be a record for her. As always, her mother and grandmother were waiting at the door for her. Steph could see the surprise on her mother's face as she held the door open for her.

"You're early, Stephanie. This is a nice change."

_Gee Mom, thanks for the left-handed compliment_, Steph thought.

"Yeah, well, I really need to talk to you," Steph admitted. No reason to beat around the bush. Might as well let them know something was up now. Her mother would truly come unhinged if she found out about Steph's condition through the grapevine. That would be one time Steph would agree with her mother's outrage. This is something they should hear from Stephanie first hand.

"Is there something wrong, dear?" Grandma asked.

"Yes and no," Steph said quietly.

"Oh, God! What have you done this time?" Helen said.

"Mother, this is bad enough without you adding any snide remarks," Steph snapped.

Grandma Mazur gasped as Helen stood there staring wide-eyed at her daughter. Steph's comment was even enough to get her father's attention as he turned off the television and got up from his chair.

"What's the matter, Pumpkin?" Frank asked.

Stephanie took a deep breath, wondering where to start.

"You remember my friend, Ranger?" Steph started.

"That thug you like to run around with?" Helen retorted.

Stephanie shot her a murderous glare.

"He's not a thug!" Stephanie shouted. "He's a good, honorable person. Just because he's not 'burg doesn't mean he's worthless. You don't know anything about him! And now I may never see him again!" Stephanie burst into tears. Her father grabbed her and held her while she cried out her grief. Frank shot his own death look at Helen and dared her to say anything more.

When Steph calmed a bit, her father pulled her back enough to see her face.

"Tell us what's happened, Stephanie," he said gently.

"The Army sent Ranger off for one last mission four weeks ago," she said with a shaky voice. "I don't know where he is or what he's supposed to do."

"He's done this several times before, Steph, and it's never upset you this much," her father said.

"This time they're not expecting him to make it back." Frank pulled her close as she started crying again.

"Ranger's a smart man, honey. I'm sure he'll find a way to come home," Frank said, trying to reassure his distraught daughter.

"Not this time, Daddy. Even the guys don't think he'll make it back."

"I'm sorry, Pumpkin. But you shouldn't lose hope. Until the Army says anything…" Frank started.

"There's more, Daddy," Steph said as she stepped back and tried to wipe away the tears that wouldn't stop. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath for courage.

"I'm pregnant," she whispered.

"Oh, God! I just knew you'd do something stupid to embarrass me," Helen shrieked.

"Dammit, Helen, shut the hell up! Can't you see our little girl is in pain? When are you going to realize that not everything is about you?" Frank spat.

Helen was floored. Her husband had never spoken to her that way before. Edna had a small grin on her face. It was about time Frank put his wife in her place.

"Now don't you worry, dear," Edna said, patting her granddaughter on the back. "We'll help you with the baby and Ranger will come home. You'll see."

"You love him, don't you?" Frank asked. Stephanie could only nod her head. She heard her mother make a rude noise as she headed into the kitchen.

"Then you hold onto that love," Frank said. "Hold on tight. And even if he doesn't make it back, you'll have that love that you can share with your child." Frank tipped Steph chin up so he could look her in the eye.

"I love you, don't you ever forget that," he said. "And I'm here for whatever you need. Do you understand?" Stephanie just nodded. Frank kissed her on the forehead then pulled her into him for another hug.

"Come on, dear. Why don't I take you to the bathroom so you can throw some water on your face before dinner?" Grandma offered.

"Thanks, Grandma," Steph said, her voice still shaky.

As Steph headed for the bathroom, Frank headed into the kitchen to talk to his wife. He found her at the counter taking a shot from her scotch bottle.

"You listen to me and listen good, Helen," Frank growled. "Our daughter needs us more than ever right now. Her life has been turned upside down and she's hurting."

"And why do you think that is, Frank? Because she makes stupid decisions," Helen snapped back.

"Jesus, woman! You are such a fucking pain in the ass!" Helen almost dropped her shot glass as Frank's insult tore through her. In all their years of marriage, he hadn't so much as raised his voice to her.

"Steph doesn't make stupid decisions, she makes her _own_ decisions. Decisions that differ from yours. That's what pisses you off. She's not a carbon copy of you, thank God. Because let me tell you, one of you in this world is more than enough." Frank took a deep breath before he continued.

"You will lose the attitude, and you will can the snide, cold-hearted remarks. You will stop telling Stephanie how to live her life. In short, you will stop being a heartless bitch to our youngest daughter just because she has no aspirations to become you. Do I make myself clear?" Frank actually waited for an answer. When Helen nodded he continued.

"You will help Stephanie only when asked. You may offer advice but you will _not_ cram it down her throat. And you will not call her an unfit mother just because she does something differently from you. Do I still make myself clear?" Again Helen nodded.

"Good. She obviously loves Ranger, whether or not you approve, and she wants this child. You will do everything you can to support her. Is that understood?" Helen opened her mouth to protest but Frank stopped her cold.

"_Is that understood?_" he repeated.

Helen glared at him and gave him a curt nod. She would submit to her husband but she didn't have to like it.

"Fine. Now I'm hungry. I suggest you get dinner on the table." Without another word, Frank left the kitchen and returned to the living room and the ball game he had been watching before Stephanie arrived.

The rest of the evening was tense, but uneventful. Stephanie explained that she had already moved into the Rangeman building. Frank felt better about it when Steph explained that Bobby was an Army medic and lived onsite. Grandma Mazur was jealous that Steph was going to be surrounded by all those hot men and Helen sat quietly, sipping her scotch and keeping her rude comments to herself.

When Steph was ready to leave, her mother packed her some leftovers and said that she expected her for dinner at least once a week. After all, it wasn't like she was dating anyone.

Steph agreed that she would come by as often as she could. She knew it would take her mother some time to warm up to the idea of Steph having a baby out of wedlock, especially since there were no plans for marriage.

As Steph drove home she thought to herself, _One family down, one to go. Let's just hope the next dinner goes better._

Steph feared that the dinner with Ranger's family would be even worse.


	3. Chapter 3

**WARNING! This chapter is kind of angsty. You might want to keep a tissue handy due to character death.**

**My sincere thanks go to Sharon, who is not only my rock-star beta, but who has helped me keep the integrity of the story. You're the best, Babe!**

Disclaimer: All JE's, blah, blah, blah.

**LOVE IN THE WIND**

**Chapter 3**

One week later, as promised, Lester accompanied Stephanie to the Manoso house for a family dinner. Stephanie was completely nauseated and wasn't sure if it was from the pregnancy or frayed nerves. Lester continued to reassure Steph that everything was going to be fine, but she wasn't so sure. Here she was, a virtual stranger to Ranger's parents about to announce that she was carrying their son's child; a son they most likely would never see again. What was fine about that?

Lester pulled up to the curb and killed the engine. He turned in his seat and gave Steph a long stare before speaking.

"How do you want to handle this? Do you want to tell them or do you want me to do it?" Lester asked.

Stephanie thought about this question. It would be easier just to let Lester take the reins and do all the talking. However, if she just stood there like a mute bump on the proverbial log, they'd think her stupid or weak. She got enough of that crap from her own mother. She didn't need to get it from Ranger's family, too.

"I'll tell them. After all, I'm the one carrying the baby," Steph said with a sigh.

"Smart girl. Now, let's go meet the family." Lester got out of the truck and helped Steph from her seat. He walked her up to the front door with his arm gently wrapped around her waist. Before he opened the door for her, he whispered in her ear.

"By the way, they refer to Ranger as Carlos. They won't get upset if you use his street name, they just prefer the name they gave him." Steph gave a small nod and made a mental note to abide by their wishes.

"Tia," Lester called out. "We're here."

"In the kitchen, mijo," came a female voice. Lester guided Steph into the kitchen to find an attractive woman in her mid fifties stirring a pot of beans. Upon their entry, she set down her spoon and gave Lester a hug.

"Tia, this is Stephanie Plum. Stephanie, this is Maria Manoso, Carlos' mother."

"It's nice to meet you," Stephanie said quietly, as she extended her hand. Maria took it in both hands and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"We've waited a long time to finally meet you, Stephanie. I'm glad you're here." Turning her head away from Stephanie, Maria called out. "Ricardo, I need you in the kitchen, por favor."

A moment later, an older version of Ranger walked into the kitchen. He had the same coloring and the same intense brown eyes, but his hair showed signs of graying.

"Ricardo, this is Stephanie. Stephanie, this is my husband, Ricardo," Maria introduced.

"Well, finally we get to meet you. I only wish my son had brought you around, but that's not your fault," Ricardo said as he shook Stephanie's hand. Steph tried to smile, but the tears in her eyes belied her sadness. Seeing the pain on Stephanie's face, Maria led her to a chair and gently sat her down.

"Stephanie, it is obvious you care a great deal about Carlos," Maria started softly. "It is also obvious that you are aware of the danger he's in right now." Stephanie could only manage to nod as she looked down at her hands in her lap.

"We must keep the faith that our Carlos will come home to us and not dwell on the negative." Maria took Stephanie's hands in hers and held them tight. "Can you do that?" Stephanie took a deep breath before answering.

"I would if that were the only thing," she whispered. Stephanie looked to Lester for courage who nodded at her to continue. She turned back to Maria and looked her straight in the eye.

"I'm… I'm pregnant." Stephanie hung her head as the tears silently streamed down her face. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do this do you."

Maria looked at Ricardo then to Lester before turning back to Stephanie.

"Listen, mija. You haven't done anything to us and you should never apologize for bringing a child into the world," Maria said.

"You're not mad at me?" Steph asked looking up.

"How can I be mad when you're adding to my family? Of course, it's not the most conventional way, but Carlos has never done things the conventional way," Maria admitted with a small chuckle.

"I didn't mean for things to turn out this way," Stephanie said, still shocked that Ranger's parents weren't yelling at her.

"But this is the way it is," Maria said. "God always has a reason for doing what He does. We may not always understand it, but it doesn't make it less important."

"You're really okay with this?" Steph was completely stunned.

"Yes, we're okay with getting a new grandchild," Maria said, squeezing Steph's hands again. "How far along are you?"

"Five weeks," Stephanie said.

"Carlos has only been gone five weeks," Ricardo said.

"I know. He came to me the night before he left," Steph admitted.

"And he left you with a precious gift," Maria smiled.

"Here," Ricardo said as he handed Stephanie a handkerchief. "Dry your eyes, mija. There'll be no tears at my dinner table." Then he bent down and placed a kiss on the top of Stephanie's head.

Stephanie couldn't believe how well Ranger's parents were taking everything. She looked up at Lester to see him give her a wink and a smile.

"Come on, Lester," Ricardo said. "There's beer in the back and the women need to talk." Giving Stephanie one last smile, Lester followed his uncle to the backyard leaving Maria and Stephanie to get better acquainted.

"You know, we've heard a lot about you," Maria said, getting up to tend to the meal. "Not so much from Carlos, mind you, but Lester keeps us informed as much as he can."

"I didn't know," Steph said.

"I wouldn't expect you to. That's just Carlos' way. He always keeps things to himself. But I do know this; he cares for you a great deal. I can see it in his eyes whenever your name is mentioned."

"Really?"

"Mija, a mother knows these things. You'll learn, too. You'll learn to see things in your child no one else can. It's a gift that comes with motherhood."

Steph watched Maria closely. Although she was keeping a positive attitude about the baby, Steph could see the sadness in the older woman's eyes. Maria knew all too well that her son just might not make it back this time.

"Can I help you with anything? I'm not much of a cook, but…" Steph offered. Maria handed her the spoon she was using.

"Just stir the beans and don't let them burn on the bottom." Maria moved to the stove and pulled out a dish of enchiladas.

"Do you love my son?" Maria asked.

"Yes, very much." Steph said without hesitation. Maria just nodded at that.

"And you're willing to raise this child alone, if need be?"

Stephanie thought about that question a moment before answering.

"Well, this child and I won't be completely alone. I'm living at Rangeman now and the guys have promised to help out whenever I need it. Plus, I don't intend on keeping this baby away from you and the rest of your family."

Maria turned to Stephanie with tears in her eyes. She walked up to Stephanie and placed her hands on Steph's cheeks.

"Thank you, Stephanie. That means the world to me." Maria pulled her into a hug. The two just held each other for a moment as they shared their grief. Finally composing herself, Maria pulled back, wiped away her tears and smiled.

"I need to get this dinner on the table. Will you help me?"

"Of course," Steph said, helping Maria set the table. Once the last dish was in place, everyone was called to the table. Stephanie was introduced to Ranger's grandmother, Abuela Rosa. The old woman didn't speak much English, but was quickly informed of the situation. She looked at Stephanie and smiled, patting her hand in the kind way old women do.

The rest of the evening was a pleasant one. Maria and Ricardo took pleasure in telling tales on their son and other various members of the family. Even Lester got gently raked over the coals a couple of times. Although everyone kept the conversation light, Steph couldn't help but feel the underlying sadness that was in the air. It was the same sadness she'd been living with for the last five weeks.

When it was finally time to go, Maria invited Stephanie and Lester back for dinner on the following Saturday. The entire family was going to get together. Lester explained that it was something they did once a month stating that it kept everyone connected. Stephanie agreed to attend and bid everyone goodbye.

Once Lester got Steph safely buckled in the truck he turned to her with a big smile.

"See, Beautiful? I told you it would be okay."

"Yes, you did. Thank you for bringing me here. Ranger's family are really good people," Steph said with a smile.

"They're the best."

The ride back to Rangeman was quiet. Steph was tired and drifted off into a light sleep. She didn't wake up until Lester was pulling her from the truck. He escorted her to the seventh floor and made sure she would be okay. He gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek and left.

As she was getting ready for bed, Steph realized that, all things considering, it was the best she'd felt in five weeks.

Over the next several of months, Steph managed to work herself into a comfortable routine. She'd get up, have breakfast with Tank, Bobby and Lester then work a full day running skips and helping Tank with the daily office work. If she had a doctor's appointment, Bobby would drive her; if he wasn't available then Lester would take her.

In the evenings, she usually had dinner alone except when Lester would take her to the Manoso's once or twice a week. Dinner with her own family was kept at once or twice a month. Her mother still wasn't happy over the entire situation but she was slowly beginning to warm up to the idea. Stephanie was able to chip away even more ice when she showed Helen a picture of the ultrasound. As Helen looked at the tiny black and white photo, a smile began to spread across her face.

"Do you have room in that apartment for a nursery?" Helen asked.

"Yes, but I haven't started setting it up yet. Ranger used it as an office and I haven't had the courage to move anything yet," Steph admitted. "I figured the first couple of months the baby would be staying in the master bedroom with me anyway so I still have time."

"Time will go quicker than you think, Stephanie. You really should start working on the nursery. Babies require a lot of things and you'll need proper places to store everything." It was the first time Helen had said anything about the baby without being judgmental or sarcastic. Stephanie took it as a sign of progress.

As much as she hated to admit it, though, her mother was right. The baby was going to need its own space and soon. Steph was just going to have to find the nerve to transform Ranger's office into their child's nursery, but it wasn't going to be easy.

Where progress was slow with her mother, Ranger's family was all a buzz at the news that Steph was pregnant. She was always invited to dinner, which resembled more of a company potluck than a family meal. Ranger's sisters offered to help with the nursery and the baby shower, and Maria was teaching Steph the finer points to Cuban cooking.

Steph didn't mind all the attention. It was a nice escape from the reality that Ranger wasn't there. However, thoughts of him were never far from her mind. She figured his family was feeling the same way and was happy to provide some kind of distraction.

Steph was four months along in her pregnancy and definitely beginning to show. She was looking at a baby furniture catalogue when her cell phone chirped. She looked down and saw that she had a text message from Tank asking her to come to his office. Thinking it strange that he just didn't use the office phone, she got up and headed in his direction.

"You wanted to see…" Steph started. She took one look at Tank's face and knew why he wanted to see her.

"I just got a call from the General's office," Tank said softly.

"No," she whispered.

"Ranger's mission is over," he added, his voice shaky.

"No," she said a little louder.

"I'm sorry, Steph," Tank choked.

"No," she started shaking her head.

"Ranger didn't make it."

"Nooooo!" Steph screamed and sank to the ground.

Hearing Steph scream, Bobby and Lester came crashing into Tank's office. One look at Tank and the two men knew what had happened.

Ranger was dead.

Bobby tended to Steph on the floor while Lester and Tank just stared at each other. Lester turned away first, swearing.

"Fuck! It wasn't supposed to be like this," Lester said. "He was supposed to retire, turn this company into an empire, marry Steph…" Lester couldn't stop the tears that were streaming down his face.

Ranger was gone.

Ranger had been his friend, his mentor, his family and now he was gone. How could someone who was so full of life, who had been larger than life, just be gone? Lester turned back to Tank and saw that he, too, had tears streaming down his face. Then Lester looked down at Stephanie sitting on the floor, sobbing in Bobby arms. Her loss was the most cruel of all, because she carried a child that would never know its father.

Lester sat down on the floor next to Steph and pulled her from Bobby's lap into his own. He wrapped her up in his strong arms and rocked her as they both cried. After what seemed like forever, Steph's sobs finally subsided to small whimpers though her body still shook with grief. Bobby was finally the one to break the silence.

"When will Ranger's body be shipped back home?"

"It won't," Tank said quietly. "There was too much destruction. There wasn't anything left of the building let alone bodies to recover."

Steph looked up at that piece of information.

"Then there's still a chance that he's alive," she said, with new hope in her voice.

"I'm afraid not, Bomber," Tank said sullenly. "The General said it was total devastation. The only thing of Ranger they found was his dog tags. They're the only thing that's being shipped back."

"But they could have come off. Ranger could still be out there. Just because all they found were his tags doesn't mean he's dead. He could be hurt somewhere or trying to make it back home." Steph was desperate to hold onto any hope she could find. She just wasn't willing to let Ranger go that easily.

"I wish it were that simple, Steph, but it's not," Tank said. He really hated having to explain how Ranger's death was verified, but he had no choice. He couldn't allow her to hold onto hope when no hope existed.

"The MO Team was in place when the mission went down. The building was completely leveled. No one got out. No one could get out," Tank said.

"MO Team?" Steph asked.

"Mission Observation Team. Sometimes they're called in to witness that a mission is executed properly and to report the outcome," Tank explained.

"You mean they sat on their asses and just watched Ranger die? What kind of cold-hearted, fucking son of a bitch just watches one of their own die? Why didn't they do anything to save him?" Steph cried out angrily.

"Those were the orders, Steph. I'm sorry," Tank whispered. Her hopes dashed again, Stephanie buried her face in Lester's chest and began crying again.

Bobby was concerned that the stress Steph was going through could hurt the baby so he decided to give her a mild sedative to calm her down. When Lester felt Steph's body finally relax, he got up and carrier her to the elevators.

As he passed through the control room, the sadness and grief from the rest of the men was so tangible, Lester almost choked on it. As he approached the double doors leading to the elevators, Cal got up and held them open. Neither man spoke, but they didn't have to. The pain of Ranger's death ripped through everyone like a knife and left wounds that would never heal.

When Lester got to the seventh floor apartment, he let himself in and carried Steph to the bedroom and gently placed her on the bed. She wasn't completely unconscious and whimpered from the loss of Lester's comfort and the loss of Ranger from her life. Unwilling to leave her alone, Lester kicked off his boots and laid down beside Steph, pulling her close to him. His tears soaked the pillow as Steph fell into a fitful sleep.

For the next two days, Stephanie never left the apartment. She seldom left the bed and wouldn't have eaten if it hadn't been for Lester. Ella would bring food up and Lester would force her to eat it. She had already lost Ranger; Lester would be damned first before allowing her to lose the baby, too. So he stayed by her side, watching over her and taking care of her the best he could.

That evening, Tank came by the apartment. He needed to let them both know about the funeral the next day and to give Stephanie something.

"She's in bed, but probably awake," Lester told his friend. "Don't be surprised if she doesn't say much." Lester noticed that Tank looked every bit as he felt. Like shit.

Tank and Ranger had become best friends during their training to become Army Rangers. They'd served several missions together and had lost count how many times each had saved the other's life. Lester knew that Tank was wishing that he'd been there to watch Ranger's back. Of course, had that happened, there would be two funerals now instead of just one.

Tank entered the bedroom and sat on the bed facing Stephanie. Her eyes were open and she was rubbing her belly in slow, methodical circles.

"Hey, Bomber," he said softly.

Steph moved her eyes up and focused on the man sitting next to her. Her expression never changed and she didn't utter a word.

"I have something for you."

Tank took the hand that had been rubbing her belly and placed something cold and metal in it. Steph looked down and saw that it was Ranger's dog tags. She ran her thumb across the embossed words and noticed that the metal was scorched and nicked. She closed her hand around the tags and began to cry softly.

Tank had originally planned on giving the tags to Ranger's parents, but when he had informed them that he had them, Maria had said to give them to Stephanie instead. Already having mementos from Ranger's entire life, Maria felt that Stephanie needed the tags more than they did.

"The funeral is set for tomorrow morning," Tank whispered. "The family is requesting that you be there. Think you can handle it?"

"What the fuck do you think, Tank?" Steph asked. "Ranger is dead. Can you handle it?" Stephanie's anger washed over Tank like a cold, hard wave.

"The funeral is at eleven tomorrow morning." Not knowing what else to say, Tank bent down to place a light kiss on Steph's forehead. To his surprise, she wrapped her arms around his neck and held on tight. Tank raised up and pulled her into his lap. He rocked her in his arms as his own tears fell and mixed with hers. He wondered if any of them would ever fully recover from Ranger's death, if the huge hole in their lives left by Ranger would ever close. With a shaky breath, Tank sighed. It was highly doubtful.

The next morning, half of Trenton showed up for Ranger's funeral. Steph was amazed at how many lives her 'Man in Black' had touched. There were even several members of the military she didn't recognize; probably members of the Rangers unit of which Ranger had served.

The service was beautiful but somber, with friends and family members sharing their most special memories. When the last eulogy was given Tank, Bobby and Lester, all wearing their dress uniforms, joined Ranger's brother and two other cousins as pall bearers and quietly carried Ranger's coffin to the hearse.

Once at the grave site, Steph sat in the front row between Maria Manoso and Lester. Her own family was in attendance but Steph drew more comfort from the people who had been the closest to Ranger.

After the minister had given the last prayer, two service men proceeded to ceremoniously fold the American flag that been draped over Ranger's casket. Once the flag was properly folded, one of the men turned and approached Stephanie.

"Ms. Plum," he started. "On behalf of the United States Army, we present you with this flag." The solider bent down to hand Stephanie the flag. Completely confused, she began to argue.

"This should be given to his mother," she said softly, not wanting to cause a scene.

"With all due respect, ma'am, the family has requested that the flag be presented to you." The solider moved the flag just a little closer to Stephanie, who turned to Maria sitting next to her.

"I don't understand, I wasn't his wife," she said through tears.

"No, but you should have been. And you're carrying his child, a child that is going to need something of its father's," Maria explained, through her own tears.

Touched by Maria's love and kindness, Steph turned back to the solider and accepted the flag. Clutching it close to her chest, Steph's body began to shake as a fresh wave of grief washed over her. Lester wrapped an arm around her shoulder as she silently cried.

The congregation was asked to stand as seven soldiers gave a twenty-one gun salute. As each bullet was fired, Steph could feel them rip through her heart. Steph would have sank to her knees had it not been for Lester holding her as Ranger's coffin was lowered while a bugle-man played Taps.

Finally, the crowd began to disburse, some heading home while others headed to the Manoso home for refreshments and reflection. But Steph didn't move from her chair. She sat, still clutching the flag and wishing against all hope that none of this was real.

Her parents tried to get her to come home with them but she refused. So they kissed her goodbye and told her to call them if she needed anything.

Connie and Lula tried to get her to join them at the Manoso's but got the same reaction. She just wasn't ready to leave Ranger's coffin, although she knew he wasn't in it. It was a fact of which not too many people were aware.

After another half hour of sitting quietly, Steph finally got up. She approached the lowered coffin and gave a deep sigh. Kissing the rose that had been in her lap, she tossed it into the grave and said her final goodbye.

She turned and headed to the waiting car when Joe approached her. Immediately, six Rangemen were by her side. Joe looked somewhat annoyed, but could understand them wanting to protect her. However, he wasn't going to let it stop him from what he wanted to say.

"Hey, Cupcake. I'm so sorry for everything," he started. He knew it was lame but he meant every word. She just nodded at him.

"Look, if there's anything you need, you just call me, okay?" Joe looked down at her growing belly. "And I mean anything; pickles and ice cream, a shoulder to cry on, you just call me. I don't care what time it is."

"She'll be fine, Morelli," Lester growled.

"Les, please," Steph said as she placed a hand on his arm. "I can handle this." Turning to Joe, she offered him a small smile. "Thank you, Joe. I appreciate it. I'll let you know if I need anything."

Joe gave her a small smile of his own. He knew Steph's pain ran deep. He'd seen the same look on the wives of cops who had been killed in the line of duty and this was no different. Joe pulled her close and laid a gentle kiss on her forehead before running a finger across the dog tags she wore around her neck.

"You keep him close to your heart, Steph. And remember, a piece of him still lives through your baby." Joe gave her another kiss then turned and walked away as a single tear fell down Steph's cheek.

Joe was right. A piece of Ranger would live on through the child they'd created.

A child created from love.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Okay, folks. This is the final chapter. It's not as angsty as the last one so most of you should be fine. And just so I don't get yelled at (the list is too long to mention everyone by name) there are no new character deaths in this chapter.

Again, my sincere thanks to Sharon for not only her beta skills, but her ability to keep me on track. You so totally rock, Babe!

Disclaimer: All JE's, blah, blah, blah.

Hope you all enjoyed the ride!

**LOVE IN THE WIND**

**Chapter 4**

The next couple of months were hell for Stephanie. She'd lost the desire to do anything. She spent most of her time locked away in the apartment, venturing out only to go to the doctor or the occasional dinner with her parents or with Ranger's family.

It wasn't until her last checkup when the doctor told her she'd lost weight that Lester finally decided to take control of the situation.

"Look, Beautiful," Lester said one afternoon. "I know you're hurting, but you can't keep doing this to yourself. It's not healthy for the baby. You need to start interacting with people again. You need to start living your life again. It's what Ranger would have wanted."

Steph looked at him with tears in her eyes. Her pain was so overwhelming it consumed her every thought.

"I don't know how to go on," she said softly. "I miss him so much. A hundred times a day I want to tell Ranger something, but he's not here." Instinctively, her hand went to her distended belly and she began rubbing it in small circles.

"I know, honey," Les said, pulling her into his lap. "I feel the same way. Ranger and I grew up together. We got in a lot of trouble together," he said with a small chuckle. "We went through the Army together and I helped him build this company to what it is today. Believe me, I miss him, too.

"But he'd want us to go on. Ranger wouldn't want us to stop living and wallow in sadness. He'd want us to make something of our lives. It's the best way I know to honor him."

"But how? How do I go on when there was so much more I wanted to share with him?" Steph asked. She knew what Lester was saying was right; she just didn't know how to achieve it.

"By putting one foot in front of the other. It's hard at first, but you'll find it starts to get easier. You have to think about the baby."

"I do think about the baby. I think about how I'm going to tell him that his father is gone and what a great father he would have been to him. But honestly, I don't know how I'm going to do that."

"You'll find a way, Steph. You're strong even though you don't feel it right now," Lester said. Then he thought about what Steph said. "You know it's a boy?"

"Bobby didn't tell you?" Steph asked. Bobby always accompanied Steph when she went for her check ups. He'd obviously told Lester about the weight loss so she'd assumed Bobby had mentioned the sex of her baby.

"No," Lester said. "He's apparently left it up to you to announce what you're having."

"Well, they took another ultrasound and could tell. I'm having a boy. Ranger would have loved a son, I think," she said quietly. "He would have been a great father to this child."

"Yes, Ranger would have loved him very much. You'll make sure your son knows who his father was. I'll help you, if you'll let me."

"I rely on you too much now as it is," Steph admitted.

"Hey, that's what family is for." Lester pulled her close and placed a kiss on the top of her head.

"Come on. What do you say you join me downstairs and run a couple of searches for me?" Lester suggested. "You don't have to put in a full day, just get out of the apartment for awhile. Will you do that? For me? And for the baby?"

"I look like a mess," Steph said as she wiped her tears from her face.

"Nah, you're just as beautiful as always," Lester smiled.

"You're such a bad liar," Steph said with a little smile.

"Hey, I'm a _good_ liar. It's a skill I've perfected over the years," he teased.

"And it's gotten you in more trouble than you can keep up with," Steph said as she lightly elbowed him in the gut.

"It comes with the territory." Lester had a big smile spread across his face. This was the first time he'd seen a glimpse of the old Steph in months and it warmed his heart.

"Come on, let's go downstairs. The guys would love to see you." Lester stood up and extended his hands to Stephanie. She took them and he gently pulled her from the bed.

Despite what she thought, Steph did feel better getting out of the apartment and seeing the other guys. Some of them were surprised at how big she was getting since they hadn't seen her in awhile.

At Lester's urging, she joined him in his office and ran a couple of searches for him while he did other paperwork. By five o'clock, she was actually hungry and felt good about having accomplished something. She agreed to start working again but only part time. She didn't think she was up to putting in a full day yet and wanted to ease back into things. Lester was just pleased that she was willing to start reclaiming her life and had agreed to any and all terms she set.

True to her word, Steph did return to work, if only for a few hours a day. And after a few weeks, she even began venturing out of the building to visit with Connie and Lula or go shopping for baby things. Of course, it wasn't easy. Missing Ranger was a daily battle and some days were better than others.

But the nights were still hell. That's when she was the loneliest. That's when she missed Ranger the most. The flag that had covered his coffin was in a display case sitting in the bookshelf. Sometimes, she would sit and talk to it, other times she would remove it from the case and hold it to her and cry. She doubted she would ever get over the loss of the one man that had truly held her heart.

Today had started off as a fairly decent day. She was at her desk by nine and had managed to complete several searches and other various paperwork by noon. The baby was even having a very active day. He'd been moving around all morning and even managed to kick Steph in the ribs a couple of times. But it was the jumping jacks he did on her bladder that sent her racing to the bathroom before she embarrassed herself in front of an office full of men.

Deciding to call it a day, Steph went to Lester's office to let him know she was leaving.

"Hey," she said, lightly rapping on his door frame. "I'm heading up to have some lunch and maybe take a nap. I also want to work on the nursery later."

"You okay?" Lester asked. "You look a little tired."

"I've had a busy morning and the baby's been running marathons in my tummy. I swear this kid is going to be a track star," Steph said with a smile.

"Alright, Beautiful, I'll be up in awhile to check on you." Lester had been spending a lot of time in the last several months on the seventh floor. He hated leaving Steph alone for long periods of time. He knew that although she was trying hard, she was still having a hard time dealing with Ranger's death. They all were.

Of course, it hadn't gone unnoticed by the rest of the team how much time Lester had been spending with Stephanie. He'd practically attached himself to her hip, even spending a few nights a week with her in the apartment. Men being what they were, rumors began to circulate around the office. Were they involved? Weren't they involved? Was Lester just biding his time until Steph had a chance to get over Ranger?

The rumors had not escaped Tank's attention, and he threatened every one of the Merry Men within an inch of their lives if they so much as breathed a word of their suspicions to either Stephanie or Lester. His friends were in enough pain and didn't need the added stress of an office scandal. Although knowing Lester like he did, Tank secretly vowed to keep an eye on the situation.

As Steph headed upstairs, she wondered what Ella had left her for lunch. The older woman loved doting on Stephanie and had been a godsend when it came to picking out colors and designs for the nursery.

Thinking about working on the nursery brought a small smile to Steph's face. The guys had moved Ranger's office furniture out in order to make room for the baby furniture. That was a hard day. Steph hated for anything of Ranger's to be removed from either the apartment or the building in general. It was like getting rid of a piece of Ranger himself and she just couldn't take it. But she knew this was necessary. Her son was going to need space of his own.

Work on the nursery was slow but steady. It seemed every week she added something new. Steph had even spent some time with Maria and her own mother to shop for furniture and baby clothes. Steph was dragging her feet about having a baby shower, though. She just didn't feel like having a party without Ranger there to share it with her.

As Steph finished up her lunch, she decided to take a nap on the couch. She laid down and wrapped a blanket around her, but she just couldn't get comfortable. The baby started kicking again so she sat up. When she did, her gaze fell to the flag sitting on the bookshelf.

"What's wrong, little guy?" Steph said as she rubbed her rolling tummy. "Are you getting a bit cramped in there? Well, you'll be here soon and then you'll have all sorts of room to roam about." She turned back towards the flag and sighed.

"I wish your daddy could be here to see you. I just know he'd fall hopelessly in love with you as I have." Steph got up from the couch and moved to the bookshelf. She ran her hand along the wood of the display case, feeling its smooth surface beneath her touch. Immediately, tears filled her eyes.

"Life is so unfair at times, little one. You have the best man in the world as your father and you'll never get to meet him," she said as the tears began rolling down her cheeks. "I bet you're going to look just like him. Tall, dark hair, beautiful skin, and I hope you get his eyes. God, I could get lost in your father's eyes." The baby kicked again and she rubbed at the spot.

"He would have taught you a lot, too. He was strong and very smart. He would have taught you the ways of the world so much better than I ever could. He did everything with precision, purpose and determination. He would have taught you to be a strong, honorable man. But I guess your uncles are going to have to help you out in that department now."

Stephanie's quiet tears turned into sobs at the thought of all the things Ranger wouldn't be able to teach his son. Then something snapped in Steph and she got angry.

"How dare you leave me here alone with our son," she yelled at the flag. "How dare you give me this gift then not come home to see him grow! Who's going to teach him how to be strong? Who's going to teach him how to look out for himself? Who's going to teach him how to be aware of his surroundings? How dare you leave all that up to me! I can't possibly do all those things without you. I need you more than ever, but you're gone! Gone! You bastard! How could you do this to us?" Steph screamed, the power of her rage crashing through her like a hurricane.

Steph's knees buckled and she began to fall, her body racked with sobs. But before she hit the floor, a pair of strong arms caught her around the waist and held her tight. Figuring it was Lester, she melted into his body and cried as her heart broke all over again.

He picked her up and moved her to the couch, gathering her into his lap as she cried into his chest. She didn't know how long they stayed like that and she really didn't care. Ranger was gone and she was left to raise their son on her own. The guys offered to help wherever they could, but she knew it wouldn't be the same. Her son would never know his father's love like she did.

She knew Ranger had loved her. She replayed their last night together over and over in her head all the time. A man didn't make love to a woman like Ranger had to her and not love her. He had even finally admitted it. More than once.

In between his kisses and roars of passion he would whisper how much he loved her. Then she would see the sadness in his eyes as they both knew the opportunities that had been missed. Ranger knew that night he would never come home. On some level, so did Steph, but she just couldn't bring herself to accept it. Even at the funeral she wished that he could have somehow shown up, but he never did. She was left alone to pick up the pieces of a life that she could have had; a life that she had been too scared to go after.

Finally, Steph began to calm down. Tears still fell down her cheeks but the heart-wrenching sobs had been replaced by a few hiccups and shaky breathing. She felt herself slowly being rocked. It soothed her as she kept her eyes closed and lost herself to the feeling.

"You know what really blows about this whole situation?" Not waiting for a response she continued. "Ranger would have wanted to marry me out of honor or some damned sense of duty or obligation. I would have said yes anyway because I loved him."

"Then marry me. Marry me because I love you."

Stephanie froze. She couldn't believe Lester would say something like that, especially at a time like this. But something was wrong with Lester's voice. It didn't sound right. She opened her eyes and looked at the arm that was wrapped around her. The skin wasn't Lester's. It was too dark, yet too light to be either Bobby or Tank. She looked up and almost screamed.

It was Ranger.

Stephanie knew that she must have finally snapped and lost her mind. There was no way Ranger could be there. Everyone said that he had died in the explosion. Hell, he had been gone for months. Surely if he'd still been alive someone would have known. Someone would have told her.

With a shaky hand, Steph reached up to touch his face. He nuzzled his cheek in the palm of her hand and she threw her arms around his neck.

"Oh, God, you're alive!" she cried.

"Yes, Babe, I'm alive and I'm home." Ranger held Steph as tight as he was able. He didn't have his full strength back. Besides, he didn't want to hurt her or the baby.

As Steph pulled back to look at him again, she saw that he, too, had tears running down his cheeks. She wiped away his tears like he had done for her so many times before.

"You're really here. You're not a figment of my imagination," she whispered, her voice filled with wonder.

"I'm really here, Babe. I came home as soon as I could," Ranger said, wiping away her own tears.

"Everyone said you were dead, but I didn't want to believe it. Then Tank gave me your dog tags and I knew it must be true," she admitted.

"You have my dog tags?" Ranger asked, stunned. He thought he'd lost those in the blast. Stephanie grabbed the chain that was around her neck and pulled the tags out from underneath her shirt.

"I haven't taken them off since Tank gave them to me. It was a way to keep a piece of you close to my heart," she said, remembering what Joe had told her at the funeral.

Ranger's heart swelled with love and pride along with a bit of sadness. Between witnessing her outburst and her admission about his dog tags, Ranger realized just how hard his 'death' had been on her.

"So where have you been?" Steph asked. "How come everyone thought you were dead?"

"Well, I spent a few months in a make-shift clinic in the middle of the jungle trying not to die. The facility was limited at best and they had no way to transport me," Ranger explained. "Their communications were intermittent, but even when they could call out, they didn't know who I was since I didn't have my dog tags and was unconscious most of the time."

"Oh, God, you're hurt and here I am sitting on you," Steph gasped, but when she tried to get up, Ranger tightened his grip on her. He thought he would never get the opportunity to hold her again; he wasn't letting go anytime soon now that he had her back.

"I'm not hurting you?" Steph asked.

"No, Babe. You're fine." Even if she were hurting him, he'd never admit it, nor would he allow her up. He had her right where he wanted her and it felt good.

"How badly were you injured?" As Steph studied his face closer, she could see several scars, which were still healing, on his face. She wondered how many of those scars would be permanent.

"I was messed up pretty badly," Ranger admitted, trying to decide how much to tell her. He knew he had to withhold some information as the mission was still deemed 'Classified,' but he felt that in light of everything she'd gone through, she deserved as much of the truth as he was allowed to divulge.

"The mission basically went off as planned. Without going into details, the targets were eliminated and the evidence destroyed. When the building started to go, I didn't even try to escape. From where I was positioned, it would have been pointless. There was no time for me to get out and I knew that going in." Stephanie began to tear up again when she heard that.

"Shhh, querida. Try not to get upset and let me finish," Ranger said as he gently dragged his thumb across her lips. When Stephanie took a deep breath and calmed herself, he continued.

"The building began to go up. I hunkered down and waited. Next thing I knew, the floor began to give way underneath me. Apparently, the compound had an old tunnel system that either the Army didn't know about or failed to inform me about." Ranger paused for a moment. He could still hear the thunder of the explosions and feel the rumble beneath his feet just before the floor gave way. He could also still feel the shrapnel tear through his body as all the C-4 explosives he'd planted sent the tiniest of objects through the air like projectile missiles.

"I landed so hard on the tunnel floor that I knew my leg was broken. To make matters worse, the hole was big enough to bring part of the first floor down on top of me. I did manage to dig myself out but it took awhile. I don't know how long I was down there. I just knew that this was my one and only shot at survival." And his one and only shot back to Stephanie. Ranger's hand made lazy circles on her belly as he gave her the details of his escape.

"Once I was clear of the debris, I still had to make it to the end of the tunnel. I was banged up pretty badly, but knew I had to try. When I did, the opening was outside the compound in the jungle somewhere. I passed out and didn't wake up until months later. When I did, I learned that not only did I have a broken leg, but five broken ribs, two of which lacerated my lungs and some internal bleeding. Some of the deeper cuts I had became infected, causing me to spike a high fever."

"My God, Ranger," Steph cried. "Thank God you were unconscious for most of that."

"Yes, and like I said before, the clinic wasn't equipped to handle a case like mine. But thankfully, the doctors never gave up. Just like I couldn't give up. I had to make it back home to you… and our son?" Ranger gave Steph's belly a light squeeze at the mention of the baby.

"Yes, I'm having a boy. I'm due in less than two months. I thought I was going to have to raise this baby on my own, but you're really here."

"I heard. I'm sorry you've had to go through it alone, but I'm here now and I'm not leaving. Ever." Ranger said that last word with such conviction that Steph slightly jumped.

"They won't call you back for another mission?" Steph asked, terrified at the thought of having to lose Ranger all over again.

"No, Babe," he assured her. "That was my last mission whether or not I survived. But I made sure of that once I was transferred back to the states. I have personal confirmation from the General that I'm done. There will be no more missions."

"You met with him personally?" Steph asked.

"Yes, I was in D.C. for a few weeks under quarantine while the Army doctors assessed my condition and the brass debriefed me," Ranger explained.

"Why were you in quarantine and how come you couldn't call?" Steph wondered.

"I was in the jungle for months, Babe, and near death a couple of times. They had to make sure I wasn't carrying any deadly viruses or diseases. Plus, they had to make sure I was me. Black Ops is a deadly game and people don't always play by the rules. The Army wasn't taking any chances."

"So that's it. You're home now. No more going 'into the wind,'" she stated.

"I'm free and clear to live my life as I see fit. Which leads me back to my original question." Ranger placed a hand on Stephanie's cheek and searched her eyes.

"Will you marry me? Not because of the baby, but because I love you. With every waking moment, all I could think about was getting back home to you. Once I got out of that tunnel, I knew I had a shot at making a life with you; a life I should have started a long time ago. All you have to do is say yes."

Stephanie looked into the eyes of the man who held her, the man whom she loved with every fiber of her being, the man whom she thought she had lost forever.

"Yes, Carlos Manoso, I will marry you and not because of the baby, but because I, too, love you and only you. I want to build a life with you and raise our son together." Steph was crying again, but this time they were happy tears.

Ranger bent down and kissed away her tears. Then he captured her lips with his for a searing kiss Steph felt all the way to her toes. Even the baby kicked. Laughing, Steph pulled away and looked at her belly.

"I think he approves," she said smiling.

Placing his hand over Stephanie's, Ranger whispered, "So do I."

**THE END**


End file.
